Multiple tube socket structure



Feb. 23, 1943. c T HEWS 2,312,181

MULTIPLE TUBE SOCKET STRUCTURE Filed NOV. 15, 1941 44f W a wflmjPatented Feb. 23, 1943 MULTIPLE TUBE SOCKET STRUCTURE Alfred 0.Matthews, Fox Chase Manor. l'a., assignor to Philco Radio and TelevisionCorporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 13, 1941, Serial No. 418,981

14 Claims.

This application relates to the mounting of vacuum tubes in a radioreceiver, and more particularly to a novel multiple tube socketstructure.

It has been customary in the past, in the manufacture of radioreceivers, to useseparate sockets The principal object of the presentinvention is to provide a novel multiple tube socket structure which isparticularly adapted for use in small radio receivers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure whicheliminates the necessity of all external wiring between tube contactswhich are to be interconnected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel structure whichgreatly simplifies the mounting and wiring of tube sockets andassociated transformers of a radio receiver.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the accompanyingdrawing and the following description, which are to be understood asmerely for purpose of disclosure and not as limiting the invention.

In the drawing:'

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a multiple tube socket structure made inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view with the lower plate removed, showing moreclearly the connector strips provided by the invention;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the structure with tubes andtransformers in place thereon; and

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram showing the wires which are eliminated by thesocket structure.

Referring first to Figs. 1-3 of the drawing, there is shown a mountingstrip for a group of vacuum tubes and associated intermediate frequencytransformers. This mounting strip consists of two superposed thin sheetsof suitable insulating material I and 2, which may, for example, consistof resin impregnated fibrous material. These sheets constitute amounting base forthe elements described hereinafter. Through thesesheets are drilled the holes 3 which are placed or grouped so as toreceive the prongs of the tubes. As shown in the drawing, the strips 55are drilled or punched to receive seven-prong tube bases of the type nowcommonly used in "pocket type receivers, but it is to be understood, ofcourse, that any other type of tube with different basing arrangementmight be used and the socket holes would be drilled to correspond. Alsodrilled or punched into the mounting strip are the bolt holes 4 whichare used to bolt or rivet the strip to the main frame or chassis of thereceiver. The rivets 5 passing through holes at the center of the tubesockets serve to hold the strips I and 2 together. The large holes inand 5b are provided for the mounting of transformers, as describedhereinafter.

Between the sheets I and 2, and extending longitudinally thereof onopposite sides of the groups of apertures 3, are metal connecting strips6, I, 8. These metal strips are arranged in accordance with the wiringdiagram of the radio receiver, and in the present case it is assumedthat only the filament connections are common to all tubes. In practice,it may be found that one or more other connections are common to two ormore tubes, and in that case, additional I strips may be provided aswill be explained later.

The filament strips 6, I have integral fingers 9 extending transverselyof those of the openings 3 which receive the filament prongs of thetubes. The ends of fingers 9 are slit and the slit edges are deflectedto provide prong-receiving openings, in a manner similar to theformation of the contact elements according to the United States patentto Loy E. Barton No. 2,206,799, granted July 2, 1940. The strips 6,'I'also have integral terminal lugs l0. It is necessary, of course, thatthe fingers 9 be wid enough to serve as prongreceiving elements but theyshould be narrow enough to provide ample clearance between connections.The strips 6, 1 may be stamped from sheet metal blanks, after which theends of fingers 9 may be treated in the above-described manner and theterminal lugs l0 may be bent.

In order to position properly the strips 6, I so that the ends offingers 9 are aligned with the proper prong-receiving openings, smalldetents II are struck from the strips and corresponding openings I! areprovided in either of the sheets I, 2 to receive the detents. Inpractice the sheets I and 2 may be made identical with the necessaryholes formed in each so that the detents may fit into whichever sheet isthe more convenient.

Thus the strips '6 and l constitute common connectors or bus elementsfor the filaments of the several tubes.

As mentioned above, a third metallic connector strip 8 is provided. Thisstrip is insulated from the adjacent strip I by an insulating strip l8.Strip 8 has integral fingers I4 and I5 and integral terminal lugs I8, II and I8. Fingers I4 and I 5 extend transversely of certainprong-receiving openings for some of the tubes and are formed in thesame manner as the fingers 8. Strip 8 may be utilized to supply thenecessary voltage to certain tube elements, such as the screen grid,

via the fingers I4 and I5. A suitable voltage source may be connected tolug I6 for this purpose. The same voltage may be applied to theintermediate frequency transformers merely by connecting the same to thelugs l1 and I8 which are conveniently located for this purpose. Thus thestrip 8 further simplifies the wiring of the entire tube-transformerassembly.

The remaining leads to the tubes are connected to socket elements iswhich may advantageously beconstructed and arranged in the manner setforth in the aforementioned Barton patent. These socket elements haveterminal lugs extending directly through the lower plate 2 for externalwiring.

The relatively high distributed capacitance between the strips 6, I and8 is of no moment, since normally no radio .frequency potentials existtherebetween. In practice the distributed capacity between the strip 8and the filament strips 8, I will merely add slightly to the usualscreen-to-cathode by-pass condenser.

' Fig. 4 shows the completely assembled socket structure including twointermediate frequency transformers 28 and 2|, and four vacuum tubes 22,23, 24 and 25. Using the ordinary intermediate frequency connections, itwill be necessary only to solder the wires from the intermediatefrequency transformers to the respective plate and grid socket elements,to the lugs I1 and I8, and to a ground, bias, or AVC terminal. Thus itmay be seen that the complete wiring is accomplished with a minimum ofleads and soldered connections.

Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically the wires which may be eliminated byemploying the socket structure in a simple system comprising four tubesand two intermediate frequency transformers. Such wires are shown by theheavy lines, and they comprise the filament supply conductors designatedgenerally at 28 and the B voltage supply leads designated generally at21. This illustration shows clearly the substantial amount of wiringwhich may be eliminated.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited tothe specific disclosure but is capable of various forms or embodiments.

I claim:

1. A multiple tube socket structure, comprising an insulating base,contact elements carried thereby for engaging the contact members of aplurality of tubes, some of said contact elements havingindividuahconnection terminals extending directly to points below thebase for connection to external wiring, and at least one commonconnector for contact elements engaging several of said tubes, saidconnector being disposed inlating strip for connecting the commonterminals to other prongs of a plurality of tubes, said conductingstrips having integral contact portions for said other prongs.

of insulating material in superposed relation having apertures disposedso as to receive the tube prongs, and metal strips for connecting thecommon prongs, said metal strips being interposed between said sheetsand having integral connection terminals projecting through one of saidsheets, said strips having integral contact portions for the commonprongs, whereby the connections common to some of the tubes have only asingle external connecting terminal.

4. A socket structure for a plurality of vacuum tubes, each of thevacuum tubes having a plurality of prongs in its base, comprising a pairof superposed sheets of insulating material having aligned apertures toreceive the tube prongs, metal strips between said sheets, said metalstrips each forming one of the filament connections for a plurality ofthe tubes, and each of said metal strips being constructed to provideone of the socket contacts for each of said tubes, and lugs extendingfrom said metal strips to facilitate connecting the strips to anexternal circuit.

5. A socket structure for a plurality of vacuum tubes as defined inclaim 4, characterized by the provision of an additional metal stripforming at least one of the socket connections for at least one of saidtubes and having an external lug for connection thereto.

8. A socket structure for a plurality of vacuum tubes as defined inclaim 4, adapted for the mounting of transformers between the tubes, anadditional metal strip between said sheets insulated from saidfirst-mentioned strips and adapted to be connected to a source of platevoltage, and external lugs on said additional metal strip near eachtransformer position to provide a high voltage terminal for eachtransformer.

'l. A socket structure for a plurality of vacuum tubes, each of thevacuum tubes having a plurality of prongs in its base, comprising astrip of insulating material having apertures arranged t receive saidtube prongs, and metallic strips carried by said insulating strip andforming integral parts of the assembled socket structure for connectingseveral of the tubes, each metallic strip forming the connections to aplurality of prongs, some of said tubes being relatively widely spaced,and said insulating strip being adapted to receive intermediatefrequency transformers in the spaces between said tubes.

8. A socket assembly adapted to receive a plurality of vacuum tubes orthe like, comprising a plurality of sheets of insulating material havinggroups of perforations to receive the prongs of said tubes, socketcontacts in juxtaposition with said perforations adapted to make contactwith the prongs of said vacuum tubes, and connections between contactsof a plurality of said groups, said connections being disposed betweenthe sheets of insulating material and extending externally thereof.

9. A multiple tube socket structure, comprising an insulating basehaving a plurality of groups of apertures, each group being arranged toreceive the prongs of a tube, at least one common connector for certainelements of at least two tubes,

said connector being mounted on said base and having portions extendingto the apertures which receive the tube prongs corresponding to saidelements, said portions being engageable by the lastmentioned prongs,said connector being adapted for connection of an external conductorthereto, and contact elements arranged on said base for engagement bythe other tube prongs.

10. A multiple tube socket structure, comprising a pair of insulatingplates in superposed relation having a plurality of groups of apertures,each group being arranged to receive the prongs of a tube, at least onecommon connector for certain elements of at least two tubes, saidconnector comprising a metallic strip interposed between said plates andhaving portions extending transversely of the apertures which receivethe tube prongs corresponding to said elements, said portions beingformed to receive and engage the lastmentioned prongs, said connectorbeing adapted for connection of an external conductor thereto, andcontact elements carried by said plates and arranged for engagement bythe other tube prongs.

11. A multiple tube socket structure, comprising an insulating basehaving a plurality of groups of apertures, each group being arranged toreceive the prongs of a tube, a pair of common connectors for thefilaments of the tubes, said connectors being mounted on said base andhaving portions extending to the apertures which receive the tube prongscorresponding to the tube filaments, said portions being engageable bythe last-mentioned prongs, and connectors being adapted for connectionof external conductors thereto, and contact elements arranged on saidbase for engagement by the other tube prongs.

12. A multiple tube socket structure, comprising a pair of substantiallyrectangular insulating plates arranged in superposed relation, saidplates having longitudinally-spaced groups of apertures, each groupbeing arranged to receive the prongs of a tube, at least one commonconnector for certain elements of at least two tubes, said connectorcomprising a metallic strip interposedbetween said plates and extendinglongitudinally thereof adjacent to the groups of apertures, said striphaving fingers extending angularly' therefrom to the apertures whichreceive the tube prongs corresponding to said elements, said fingersbeing engageable by said last-mentioned prongs, a connection terminalintegral with said strip and ex-,

tending below said plates, and prong-receiving contact elements carriedby said plates and arranged cooperatively with the apertures whichreceive the other tube prongs.

13. A multiple tube socket structure, comprising a pair of substantiallyrectangular insulating plates arranged in superposed relation, saidplates having longitudinally-spaced groups of apertures, each groupbeing arranged to receive the prongs of a tube, a pair of commonconnectors for the filaments of the tubes, said connectors comprisingmetallic strips interposed between said plates and extendinglongitudinally thereof on opposite sides of the groups of apertures,said strips having fingers extending angularly therefrom to theapertures which receive the tube prongs corresponding to the tubefilaments, said fingers being engageable by said last-mentioned prongs,a connection terminal integral with each strip and extending below saidplates, and prong-receiving contact elements carried by said plates andarranged cooperatively with the apertures which receive the other tubeprongs.

14. A multiple, pre-wired, tube socket structure, comprising aninsulating base, a plurality of groups of contact elements carried bysaid base for engaging the contact pins of a plurality of tubes, some ofsaid contact elements having individual connection terminals extendingexteriorly of said base for connection to external wiring, and at leastone common interconnecting means connected between other contactelements of a plurality of said groups, said common interconnectingmeans being secured to said base and forming an integral part of theassembled socket structure.

ALFRED C. MATTHEWS.

